System of play : Quiz + Ans [ P4] Playing in the Middle third

 

 

Playing in the Middle third

  1. If you get into the middle third for the first time should you first try to get it to a wide player or should you first check if you can go forward?

    1. If you check forward and then go forward because you can (and so choose not to use the wide players), why does this fit into our system of play?

    2. If you check and see the forward space is congested, and so cant go forward, what should you do?

  2. When it goes out to the wide player for the first time (because the forward space is congested) why will attacking down the line usually be difficult at this point?

  3. [If the theory says it will be difficult most the time, does it mean it will always be difficult]?

    1. Know the .............before you break the ...............
  4. Are we always banned from attacking down the line the first time it goes wide?
      • Yes /No ? Why? Will it be easy or harder the first time it goes wide, compared to the 2nd or 3rd switch?

Talking about wide players

  1. A wide player has about 6 main options every time they get the ball. What are they?
    1. What factors determine which is the best option in a specific moment?
    2. Think of this as a collection pitcures. What picture tells you which option to pick?
      1. Draw these pictures
      2. Do you look for pictures during the game?
      3. What will these poicture tell you whilst playing?

Still talking about wide players (in our system)

  1. There are a few positions wide players should adopt, depending on what is happening in the game.
    1. When the GK has it but we can play out through the CBs, where should the wide player be?
    2. When the GK has it but we cant play out for through the CBs, where should the wide player be?
    3. When the ball is with the opposite wide player, where should the wide player be?
    4. When a switch is developing, where should the wide player be?
    5. When the ball is passed wide to to the wide player, where should the wide player be?
    6. What is the wide players role on crosses from the opposit side?
    7. When the opposition have it in.....
      1. On the wide players side, in their defencive third, where should the wide player be?
      2. On the wide players side in their middle third, where should the wide player be?
      3. On the wide players side in their attacking third, where should the wide player be?
      1. On the other side to the wide player but in their defencive third, where should the wide player be?
      2. On the other side to the wide player but in their middle third, where should the wide player be?
      3. On the other side to the wide player but in their attacking third, where should the wide player be?

 

The High 8 Rotation in the middle third

  1. Firstly why do call our high players 'high 8s' rather than forwards?
  2. Why is it called the High 8 rotation?

  3. If the ball goes wide (even for the first time), and we have a numbers advantage to get in behind, is the rotation necessary?

  4. If it goes wide, and we do not have the numbers advantage to get in behind, what is next key factor determining what the we do?

    1. Ans : It depends if the ........... is close enough to the wide player to drop and get a .......... position.

      • Is the high 8s movement 'with the ball' or 'counter to the ball'?

    2. If the high 8 is close enough to the wide play and he drops low into a supporting poistion, what does this initiate?

    3. If the high 8 is not in a position to support the wide player, what does this mean to the rotation and everyone one it?

    4. Even if the high 8 is in a position to drop low and support the wide player but he doesnt do it, it therefore means the rotation [will / will not] happen.

Can you theoretically work through the full High 8 Rotation step by step (assuming it works perfectly and defenders move as expected (go towards the ball)?That is, sit down with some buttons (like magnets on a white board) and go through the sequence of rotations (in order and explain why they are done and what the benefits of the rotations are?)

  1. When the wide player and the high 8 are close and work together, what problems /dilemmas does it cause the opposition defence (interms of structure, marking players and defending the space in behind) when the high 8 drops low?
  2. When the high 8 initiates the rotation, who then moves where?
  3. Where does the other high 8 move to and why?
    1. What 3 key things does this movement do?
  4. Where does the near six player move to if the high 8 drops low?
    1. Does he move with the ball or counter to the ball?
    2. Why dont we want the near six moving towards the ball?
    3. Why do we want the near 6 moving away from the ball?
    4. What determines how far away he moves?
    5. What are his 2 key jobs?
  5. Where does the far 6 move to?
    1. What 3 key things does this movement do?

 

This completes the Rotation.

Note it can only be done once, at a time. Why?  It cant be tried immediately after the previous attempt as players wont be in the right position.

If it doesnt work what do we need to do? Keep posession (slow the game down), reset before it can be tried again.

As mentioned above, A wide player has about 6 main options every time they get the ball.

  1. Which of these positions will potentially start a high 8 rotation?

  2. Who do we ultimately want to get the ball to, if we are doing the high 8 rotation?

    1. Why is it important to keep this in mind?
    2. What are the different ways it can get there?
      1. Does the wide player have to hit the supporting high 8 at the start of the high 8 rotation just because the high 8 dropped?
      2. Does the wide player have to hit the 6 if he doesnt hit the 8?
      3. What better option might come along during the rotation? (like a free player (the far 6) is in the 9 position or a reverse pass to the second high 8 (who moved under teh droping high 8?
      4. Should we take this option? Or should we ignore it and complete the full switch or pass to the free high player in a central position?
      5. If so, Why? Why abandon the switch?
      6. So what might the pictures be for the wide player through out the rotation?

  3. If the supporting high 8 does get it off the winger, what should he have a cheeky look at, before continuing the switching ?

    1. So what might the pictures be for the high 8 at this point?
    2. What options will be chosen based on these pictures?

  4. If the ball goes out to the 'near 6' who has now moved away (he was the near 6 but his counter movement moved him away to a far 6 position),what should the numbers (and shape) now be around the far side defender.

  5. Why should there only be one defender out there (based on a back 4)?

    1. What are the numbers?

    2. Is this an overload in possession or attack?
    3. How hard in theory should it be to get in behind with these numbers?
  6. Should the high 8s (who are both on the other side of the pitch follow the ball/switch or stay where they are? Give 3 reasons for Why?
  7. What are the key moments in the high 8 rotation where the ball may be lost?
  8. How do we minimise the risk of loosing possession?

Let's assume we won the 3v1 (the far side attacking overload) and get  in Behind

  1. What is the penetrating player (the one running with the ball towards the oposition goal or by-line) trying to attack first if possible?
    1. What is the objective of this?
  2. If this is not possible, What's the next target?

  3. Why a might a wide player cross earlier than getting to the by-line?

    1. What pictures dictate what kind of cross you do?

  4. What are the key rules to crossing?
    1. Miss the first player and GKbut dont over hit
    2. Hit the spaces in between defenders.
    3. If a cross does this, then it's up to the players coming into the cross, to time their movement into the spaces.
  5. How many players attack the cross if possible?
  6. If this is a succesful high 8 rotation, which 3 players can attack the cross?
  7. [Remember when we asked if the High 8s followed the 'switch/ball' or stayed on the opposite side of the pitch.....what are the consequences of their decision now?].
  8. What 3 positions are these 3 players aiming for?
  9. Which player is best placed to attack the near post?
  10. What does attacking the near post do the opposition and GK?
  11. Why do you need someone coming in late on the far post? Key word being late.
    1. Why is being at the far post important?
    2. What is the problem if this player arrives too early?
  12. Why do you need someone coming in late on the penalty spot?
    1. Why is coming late important?
  13. Who arrives first, second, and last?

 

Defensive shuffle

 

Remember

Rules create a system [frameowrk] that everyone can work within and provide a base on which creativety within a framework can shine. Know the rules, so you can break the rules when it will have the greatest impact.

 

 
 
 

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